The Decoy Conversation
by Hediru
Summary: The Doctor and Rose relax after a hard day by watching "The Decoy Bride", starring David Tennant. After the shock of the Doctor's doppelganger wears off, the pair discusses how the main characters feel about each other. Or do they? Not a crossover fic. Knowledge of "The Decoy Bride" is not needed to read. Oneshot.


**So thanks to** ** _Doctor Who, Broadchurch,_** **and the like, I am absolutely in love with David Tennant! My number one celebrity crush! So, of course, when I heard that he had starred in a rom-com... I just had to see it. This really isn't a crossover because it doesn't really involve characters from** ** _The Decoy Bride_** **, but the movie is referenced. If you haven't seen it, its not the greatest rom-com, (story line is very far fetched and the script did not let DT show his full potential), but seeing DT in a romantic movie is wonderful! You do not have to have seen the movie to read this story. No spoilers.**

 **Don't forget to review!**

 **I do not own Doctor Who or Decoy Bride.**

It had been another hard day of adventuring. Another dictator was toppled, but not before some people died. Rose and the Doctor dealt with this tragedy the way they dealt with every tragedy: running away from their problems by engrossing themselves in a lighthearted movie.

"Your pick tonight, Rose!" the Doctor exclaimed as he flopped onto the sofa in the telly room with a big bowl of popcorn.

"You sure? I mean, I'm in the mood for a chick-flick. Ya might regret letting me pick," she teased him, smiling with her tongue poking between her teeth.

"Chick-flick?"

"You know, a soppy love story that is stereotypically universally loved by girls and detested by guys?"

"Rose Tyler, as a matter of fact, I happen to enjoy a good rom-com every once in awhile."

"Really? That's not what you said when I wanted to watch _Titanic_!"

"It's historically inaccurate!"

"Or _The Notebook!"_

"That's... just sad. I don't like sad."

"Or..."

The Doctor covered her mouth with his hand. "Alright, you've made your point. But if a soppy love story is what you want to watch, then... Allons-y!"

A huge smile broke across her face. "Great! There's this movie that my Mum swears that we just _have_ to watch!"

"Your Mum recommended this? Oh, it's just bound to be brilliant," the Doctor retorted with heavy sarcasm.

"Hush you. You said it was my choice tonight. And I choose _The Decoy Bride._ "

"Fine..." he whined.

The TARDIS' system was able to download movies from the internet and watch them on demand. Soon, the Doctor and Rose were snuggling up next to each other as the Doctor hit play on the remote.

It didn't take long at all for them to realize why Jackie had recommended the movie.

"Doctor, it's... it's you!" Rose gasped.

"What?" came the reply.

"Look! That guy! That James whatever. He looks just like you!"

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'what?'" She hit pause on a close up of James Arber. "Just look at his face! Isn't that what you shave every morning?"

The Doctor nodded a little. "Huh. Well, isn't that wizard?"

"Why does he look like you?" She jabbed him in the ribs, teasingly, and flashed her famous grin. "Doing a little acting on the side, are we? Is this what you really do when you drop me off at Mum's?"

"No. I most definitely do not act. He must just be this incarnation's template."

"Template?"

"Yeah. Time Lords don't just regenerate into any random form. If we did, we might end up with our heads in our stomachs and arms for legs or something equally grotesque. When we regenerate, our cells pick another random person who already exists and copies them. That person is the template." He hit the information button to get the name of the actor. "Hmm. David Tennant." He sighed. "Another actor. Every single incarnation I've had has copied an actor! Just for once, I'd like to look like a real doctor for a change! Or a politician. Or a scientist. Or the guy who sells T-shirts at rock concerts. Anything but another bloody actor!"

Rose giggled. "Well, at least with actors you have a better chance of being good looking than with a T-shirt salesman."

"Didn't help me in my last incarnation. It was a daft face, and did you see my ears?"

"Oi! I happened to like your last face! Who did you take after when you were him, anyway?"

"I found that out soon after I met you when I went away and came back 5 seconds later. Well, it was 5 seconds for you, but it was longer for me. About a week actually. See I went to this asteroid..."

"Doctor..."

"Oh, his name was Chris. Chris Egg... Ek... Echo... No. Eccleston! Christopher Eccleston!"

"Never heard of him," Rose replied. "But I know he's gorgeous!"

"What?" The Doctor blinked. Then he grinned. "I see what you did there!"

Rose blushed. She had said that part without thinking, and had hoped he didn't notice. No such luck.

"Gorgeous, huh?" The Doctor teased. "And what is your opinion of David Tennant?"

"Oh, shut up pretty boy and let's just watch the movie." She sounded annoyed, but couldn't help a small smile as she did so. She snuggled under his arm as they resumed the movie. The Doctor kissed her lightly on the forehead and smiled softly to himself. He was completely smitten with Rose Tyler. More than that, actually.

About halfway through the movie, the popcorn was gone (the Doctor having eaten more than his fair share), and their position on the sofa had shifted so that they were outright cuddling: the Doctor was lying on his back and Rose was curled up practically on top of him with her head resting on his chest. It was very domestic, but not even the Doctor could find reason to complain. Both were completely, utterly, content.

As the movie neared the end, the Doctor was suddenly aware that his shirt was becoming quite damp. Rose was crying. This was absolutely unacceptable! He paused the film.

"Rose? Are you alright?"

"I'm... fine..." She was very unconvincing as she had trouble speaking between sobs.

"Don't give me that. This movie isn't even that sad. Nothing like _The Notebook_ at least. Surely you're not crying because of the movie!"

"If you're gonna make fun of me..." she moved to sit up, wiping her wet eyes.

He swiftly pulled her back to him. "No, I'm not making fun. I'm just... you know... concerned."

"I really am fine, Doctor." In truth, she really didn't know what had gotten into her. The Doctor was right. This wasn't a sad movie at all. Sure, the scene they had just witnessed was a little. But all rom-coms end the same way: the guy and the girl always end up confessing their mutual love. It was very cliche. James was walking away, but he'd be back. They always came back in these types of movies. So why was she crying?

She looked at the screen. The image was frozen on a close up of James' face. The Doctor's face. It was so full of love and longing that it made Rose's heart break. It didn't help that it had just looked as if James was going to kiss Katie on the lips but he had kissed her on the forehead instead; it was the exact same way that the Doctor would kiss Rose. She loved him. Had always loved him in fact, since before he changed. Seeing a man with the Doctor's face look at another woman the way she had always wanted the Doctor look at her made her come completely undone.

The Doctor had fallen silent next to her, which was rare. He seemed lost in thought.

Rose dared to break the silence. "I know. It's silly, but... why did he leave? He obviously loves her. Why can't he just tell her?"

The Doctor seems to consider her question for a moment before replying in a very serious tone, "He has... obligations to keep. Loving her would complicate things."

"Yeah," she snorted. "That would complicate things quite a bit. But why can't he just give up his, his 'obligations' as you so eloquently put it? Seems like a lot of people would be happier if he did."

The Doctor was quiet again. "He's afraid. He's afraid he's going to lose her in the end."

Rose was surprised. Honestly, James' character development was quite shallow. Where did the Doctor get that insight from? She looked up at him, and there it was: the Doctor had the exact same expression on his face as his on-screen doppelganger, and he was looking at _her!_ She suddenly realized that maybe he wasn't really talking about James. Her heart began to race as she realized the implications of that train of thought and decided to press the matter more.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself and not give herself away she asked, "But why is he afraid of losing her? She loves him! She's never going to leave him!"

The Doctor held his breath. Had Rose picked up on what he was really saying? He hoped not. And yet... yet, he hoped for it at the same time. He realized that this was his chance: his one chance to say everything that was on his hearts without actually saying it.

Taking a deep breath as well, he replied, "Everyone leaves him eventually."

"She's not like everyone else."

"Yes. That is very true. But that doesn't mean that she won't leave him. She might get tired of his type of life and want to settle down with a home and a husband and family. In the very least, she'll miss her Mum."

"Has he ever considered that she doesn't want that kind of life? That maybe all she wants is him?" To her dismay, tears began rolling down her cheeks again of their own accord.

"Why? What could she possibly see in him? All he is is a broken man, and she doesn't know just how broken. If she ever learns about his past and just how broken he really is, she'll leave him for sure!" A singular, lonely tear escaped his eye and dripped down his cheek.

Rose reached up and wiped it away without even thinking. "She knows more than he thinks. She may not know the details, but she knows that his home is gone and that it is somehow his fault."

The Doctor jerked his head up at this. _That_ was not in the movie at all! She had definitely caught on!

Rose continued. "But she also knows that he had had no choice. She knows this because she knows him. He always has everyone's best interests in mind. He will never step down from a fight, and yet turns to violence only as a very last resort when no other options are available. This makes him heroic. Yet, it kills him inside everytime something goes wrong. He blames himself. Even when it's not his fault. And that breaks her heart. But because he tries so hard to do the right thing, this alone makes him a very good man. An honorable man. A man who makes her want to be a better person. A man who actually makes her a better person. A man she cannot live without. A man that she loves more than anyone else in the entire universe."

Throughout her entire speech, the Doctor listened intently and hung on her every word. Each syllable was like a balm to his weary soul. Before he knew it, he was leaning into her slowly and their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss. He broke away as soon as his brain kicked in, looking into her eyes to either ask permission or beg forgiveness. She answered his unspoken question by grabbing his lapels and pulling him in for a second kiss. This one was harder, fiercer, and much more passionate. Teeth, lips, and tongues fought for dominance and hands tangled in hair as both poured out their hearts without words.

They broke away, both gasping for breath, the Doctor having been so pleasantly surprised by this unexpected turn of events that he forgot to engage his respiratory bypass.

"Hello," Rose breathed, a huge smile on her face.

"Hello," the Doctor replied in kind.

They stayed that way for awhile, arms wrapped around each other and gazing into each others' eyes as if seeing each for the first time.

After awhile, Rose broke the silence, her voice so low that it was barely above a whisper. "What could he possibly see in her? She said it herself. He could have any woman he wanted, even famous movie stars, apparently. She's just ordinary."

He cupped her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes, his chocolate brown orbs fully shining with his now unrestrained love. "Oh, but she's not ordinary at all. She's extraordinary! She is a light of hope to him in a life full of darkness and sorrow and pain. When he's with her, he almost forgets his past. She makes him better. She makes him want to live again. She makes him _enjoy_ life again! She's not just his world: she's his entire universe! Not to mention that she is funny, clever, brilliant, and the most beautiful creature he has ever laid eyes on."

Rose blushed at that. "He's not bad in the looks department, either," she said, suddenly feeling shy.

"Not bad in the looks department?" He quirked an eyebrow at her, a slow grin appearing on his face. "Not bad in the looks department! I'll have you know, Rose Tyler, that he is magnificent!"

"Says the man who looks just like him," she teased back. "Not biased at all!"

"Yeah, well, Katie has good taste," he said, crossing his ankles and putting his arms behind his head.

"Yeah, so, whaddya say we finish the film? See if they get their happy ending?"

"But I already know the answer to that one," he softly replied, pulling her closer to him.

"You do?" she asked as she snuggled deeper into his embrace.

"Yeah," he said, kissing her again.

They resumed the movie since there was not much left, but they paid it no attention. They were too busy having a happy ending of their own.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered. "I love you."

"Quite right, too. And I suppose that now's my chance to say it. Rose Tyler, I love you!"


End file.
